DISTRICT COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 
DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
Plaintiff, 
v. 
BENJAMIN TORRES RAMOS, 
Defendant. 
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Criminal No. 2017-18 
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ATTORNEYS: 
 
Joycelyn Hewlett, Acting United States Attorney 
Sigrid Tejo-Sprotte, AUSA 
United States Attorney’s Office 
St. Thomas, VI 
 
For the United States of America, 
 
Carl R. Williams 
Smith, Williams, PLLC 
St. Thomas, VI 
 
For defendant Benjamin Torres Ramos. 
 
 
ORDER 
GÓMEZ, J. 
 
Before the Court is the application of Benjamin Torres 
Ramos (“Ramos”) to waive his speedy trial. For the reasons 
stated herein, the time to try this case is extended up to and 
including June 23, 2017.   
 
While the Speedy Trial Act requires that a defendant be 
tried within seventy days of indictment, the Court specifically 
finds that extending this period would be in the best interest 
of justice for several reasons.  First, an extension is 
Case: 3:17-cr-00018-CVG-RM   Document #: 25   Filed: 04/27/17   Page 1 of 3
United States v. Ramos 
Criminal No. 2017-18 
Order 
Page 2 
 
necessary to allow Ramos’s new counsel time to familiarize 
himself with the matter.  Second, the defendant made this 
request with the advice and consent of counsel.  Third, without 
an extension, the parties would be denied reasonable time 
necessary to explore plea options and prepare for trial.   
 
Consistent with these concerns, the United States Court of 
Appeals for the Third Circuit has recognized that "whether or 
not a case is 'unusual' or 'complex,' an ends of justice 
continuance may in appropriate circumstances be granted."  
United States v. Fields, 39 F.3d 439, 444 (3d Cir. 1994)(citing 
United States v. Dota, 33 F.3d 1179(9th Cir. 1994)("An ends of 
justice continuance may be justified on grounds that one side 
needs more time to prepare for trial . . . even though a case is 
not complex")); see also United States v. Brooks, 697 F.2d 517, 
522 (3d Cir. 1982), cert. denied, 460 U.S. 1071(1983)(no abuse 
of discretion where district court found that  multiple count, 
multiple defendant "case was complex and required additional 
time for adequate preparation."); United States v. Lattany, 982 
F.2d 866, 883 (3d Cir. 1992)("district court did not abuse its 
discretion [by delaying trial] to give counsel . . . opportunity 
to . . . decid[e] upon and prepar[e] an appropriate defense."). 
 
The premises considered; it is hereby   
 
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United States v. Ramos 
Criminal No. 2017-18 
Order 
Page 3 
 
 
ORDERED that the time beginning from the date of this order 
granting an extension through June 23, 2017, shall be excluded 
in computing the time within which a trial must be initiated 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161.  
 
 
 
  
 
 
S\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Curtis V. Gómez 
 
District Judge 
 
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